Give school & love to abandoned girls in Mexico

A new beginning for a stage already lived

Having to go through stages already lived, brings us mixed feelings. The novelty of starting over again brings renewed strength, thinking that errors will be avoided  or   we will do better.  There is more energy, experience, although at the same time we are more aware, knowing the challenges to be faced.  This is what we are living today at our family home.   

As was the case 15 years ago, we have just received two new family members, a 6-year old girl, and her aunt of 15. Looking at the freshness of little Lluvia, how she scans and explores her new environment, makes us renew our efforts in making sure she maintains her dreams and awe for new discoveries, while enjoying her spontaneity and happiness, making us better persons and  a willing to perpetuate those moments.

We see both Lluvia and Zule her aunt, at peace with themselves and enjoying the warmth and structure bestowed upon them by the Puerta Abierta family, where they can also express their feelings and concerns with their now fellow sisters. They now know they are not alone, and can start walking towards their future – always uncertain – with the support, counsel and company of an always present adult.

Zule, now has family help that takes care of Lluvia and is relieved of not being alone in this task. She can now also think on her own future, and while living with her new siblings, share mutually beneficial discussions, ideals and personal projects according to her age. Lluvia meanwhile is already enjoying the care and affection of her elders, renewed by her candor. All are playing like little girls again!

Lucy has already found appropriate schools for both.  While they´ll be attending different schools they both know that they are reunited at home, both are together no matter the space and slowly but surely adapting and integrating into their new family. 

We are all part of a cycle, where like in an upward spiral we wish and hope to do our best.  These are our wishes, making a difference in those that leave and giving what is needed to those that arrive. 

 “All that does not grow, tends to disappear”, Puerta Abierta wants to grow and constantly renew itself.  There is so much to be accomplished!!

Links:

• webpage

Dear Donor,

We would love to share with you an insight into Magui´s (our oldest) world. A letter she wrote to explain what a new home means to her and the other girls who live in care homes. 

Your support in the form of a donation to this project means everything to us. It means we can  grow in giving double opportunities, we will grow to 24 girls soon with our 2^nd house project. We are almost there, just a few essentials away! We promise to give your help the best possible use, efficient and transparent. We promise to make sure that every donation we get will be aimed at making the future of our girls a better one. 

Their lives will change and so will yours, they will stay forever in your heart, thanking you from a far. 

Thank you so much for your help and effort in this project, our family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts!

Today Giving Tuesday we want you to remember us and give a little of your heart to our girls, just click the link at the bottom of the page and love freely our girls.

Magui´s Letter:

Fifteen years ago, when I first arrived in Puerta Abierta I finally understood the meaning of the word family. The sense of belonging, of being cared for, patience and loyalty. I learnt that I can enjoy and learn without having to fear for my safety or my future. I am part of something, I came home every day to a warm bed, food on the table and the assurance that no one could hurt me. The girls and I are a family. 

A couple of weeks ago we moved into our new home. For the past 2 years we have seen this house, this new home being built. We watched a dream literally coming true, the continuous effort from everyone who believes in our Project come to life. Every wall symbolizes each one of us, our strength to hold this family together. At the inauguration party, we finally made it our own, filled with laughter, smiles and love, the good and the bad, early morning breakfasts, late dinners, talks with friends and peace. 

I am thankful for people like you who continue to believe in our dreams and making them possible for us to live. I am currently about to finish university; I work part time and I have friends all over. Having a family gave me the strength and confidence to believe in myself and despite my childhood I stand stronger than ever. I am certain my “sisters” share the same feelings as me. Thank you for believing, thank you for supporting and thank you for the opportunities you continue to give us. 

Kind regards 

Magui

Links:

• Insitution web page

Brisa & Fatima,

We seem to believe that we control our lives and that if we act and behave righteously, everything will turn out right.  There is some truth to this. But on the other side, we need to acknowledge that there are many things that we cannot control.  If we have a clear idea and plan for the long run, we can establish paths towards our goals, even with tripping over every now and then.   A fundamental element to reach this purpose is to be courageous.

Puerta Abierta was recently summoned to our local child protection agency. They asked that we take two young sisters suffering domestic violence.  These young girls were courageous to leave their home, look for and find shelter in the agency, as they were running great risk by staying in a toxic and violent environment.  Their interest and goal had been to study, widen their opportunities and leave that unhealthy situation.  Circumstances were against them, and yet, they were brave enough to take an unconventional decision and leave.

For  Brisa and Fatima it was a brave decision, for Puerta Abierta has been extraordinary experience  and a blessing. They have their sights in their long term goals, studying, adapting, respecting their new home and family, looking forward to building a new personal history, taking advantage of this new opportunity for them and not looking and turning back.

Puerta Abierta´s family has reaped new benefits, as witnessing their great determination of getting ahead has instilled a new paradigm in the other girls. It has shown us to be firm and to not let them hesitate in their plan and go over of what they think they can.  As their tutors, we will help them, fostering their courage and always pushing them out of their comfort zone.  

We should build values from this experience, encourage their determination and strengthen the vision of them.   We should help them to be conscious they can overcome obstacles no matter how big they are, even if they fail several times. They have to learn to walk on uncomfortable and difficult paths. We should always remind them of the courage they have shown so far. The rest….. is part of life.

Links:

• Institution Web Page

Dear Donor,

It is an old and wide held Mexican tradition to celebrate, in a lavish party, the 15^thbirthday of girls, when as a rite of passage, they become women. 

Puerta Abierta in a sense, is now a 15-year old girl, passing from childhood, to become a young adult organization, from the early years of energy and hope, to the present stage with more experience, lasting bonds among our girls, and within the extended Puerta Abierta family, including donors and benefactors.  And consequently, with larger projects and a look towards a better future. Trial and error efforts transformed into learning experiences, for the girls, house mothers, helpers, donors and the Board have shaped that “girl” organization into a “young woman”, with larger goals and expectations. 

We will invite you to donate today, as it is Bonus Day and whatever you give, GlobalGiving will match depending on the donation, so please help our girls as we are growing with a second children’s home opening in a few weeks form now.

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/family-and-school-for-9-abandoned-girls-in-mexico/ 

We have all learned that perseverance, tolerance to frustration, responsibility, commitment, and hard work are necessary to continue moving forward and get on to next stage. 

Our girls - young women, some now in college, make decisions every day, that shape their present and envisions a future that some time ago were only dreams.  But this is a continuing story, as love bonds, thankfulness and dreams continue to develop and grow, and with a stronger hope for the future.  All of us near the girls, in a sense, have turned into their accomplices for those dreams. 

So today, we want to celebrate these 15 years of Puerta Abierta, with a great passage-of-age party, for dreams come true, and many others to be fulfilled.  We thank you for being part of Puerta Abierta and for taking care of this beautiful growing young endeavor. 

Puerta Abierta

Links:

• web page

MOTHER

To be a mother!  What a challenge is to be a mother, what a challenge is even to define it, let alone be one.  There are so many challenges and requisites, that we even ask ourselves:

Is it even possible to be perfect at it?  Mothers, like all of us human beings, are full of limitations. However, it is love that empowers them to overcome those limitations, and help their offspring grow with guidance and care.  

Being a mother is complicated, to say the least. If that is true for a natural mother, what a challenge it is for Lucy, our beloved mother.  She lovingly embraces our girls, while they need to slowly accept her, as a mother figure, with all its dimensions, as authority, slowly building trust with care and patience, and eventually, after some time, true love, respect and thankfulness.

Lucy´s mother role has been quite a challenge and in a single word, an Odyssey!!

Having formed her own family, she has a very clear  role as to what a mother needs and should  be, starting with love for her children, inspiring trust and security.  Having these as a foundation, she instills in our girls the desire to develop their intellectual skills, search for knowledge, ideals, a vision of their future, with strong values that are lived every day.

Today, as a result of this love and stimulation, care for their needs, and pursuit of opportunities, we have three college students.  Studying and working part-time, they are developing their professional skills while gaining self-esteem and security. All, while serving as a living example for their siblings following on their steps.  

Lucy has had her heart grabbed by her new PA daughters.  

It has been quite a journey, from an initial managerial job, to a full motherly involvement, loving each girl individually and all of them becoming her “heart-daughters”.  As all mother-daughter relationships, it is two-sided: Lucy dedicated in heart and soul to them, and all the girls admiring, trusting and loving her, as she has developed their emotional stability, security and self-esteem. 

This “mother-of-the heart” role poses a double challenge. The responsibility of a role model for the girls, so that in time, they are prepared to be mothers too.  Setting forth the role-model they could not have from their natural mother. The  second  challenge, is that with this example, they are able to build their own healthy and loving families, in spite of their troubled and painful past.  

Links:

• web page